Research Areas

Computational Medicine (CM) is an emerging discipline devoted to the development of quantitative approaches for understanding the mechanisms, diagnosis and treatment of human disease through applications of mathematics, engineering and computational science. The core approach of CM is to develop computational models of the molecular biology, physiology, and anatomy of disease, and apply these models to improve patient care. CM approaches can provide insight into and across many areas of biology, including genetics, genomics, molecular networks, cellular and tissue physiology, organ systems, and whole body pharmacology. CM is distinct from Computational Biology in its focus on human health, disease, and treatment; translation to and application in the clinic is a near-term goal of all CM research. Applications of CM are as broad as Medicine itself, and include: identification of optimal drugs using associated genomic and proteomic biomarkers; discovery of image-based biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis; design and dynamic adjustment of individualized non-drug therapies such as deep brain stimulation, cardiac stimulation, and cochlear implants; modeling and learning from patient EHR data to improve patient outcomes and efficiency of care; optimization of healthcare policy decisions by quantitative analysis; and more. CM is one of the pillars of the University’s Strategic Initiative in Individualized Health. This field will continue to grow and to have a transformative impact on human health. CM research at ICM is sub-divided into four key areas: